July 5th, 2015 The RUN is 8 out of 8 WeeksWaist high or better, at least once a week. There was
waist high waves all week. And some bigger waves on
the 29th. It was a fun week for surfing.

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Happy Independence Day. Welcome Summer.
I am one of those who believes that summer really starts on July 4th.
This whole Memorial day kick off to summer, doesn't kick it with me.
July 4th is the unofficial start of Summer. And the 4th felt like that to me. We took a different tack this year on the 4th.

We hung out at the OC office for a bit and then we walked down to
the beach. We found a beautiful vantage point to watch the fireworks up and down the coast.

We could see the fireworks from Salisbury to Hampton.

It was pretty cool. Watching little waves peel off under the glow of the fireworks was unique. Each year we typically sit on the rocks and watch. This year we too to standing on the wall. The crowds seemed manageable and well behaved.

Was it the best fireworks I've ever seen? Oh hell no.

There is nothing that could beat the year that Cory, Kim Leo, David Robinson, and myself watched the fireworks from Kim's apartment that overlooked the Charles and the Esplanade.

It was the last year Arthur Fielder conducted the BSO.
Nothing could beat that. And it has stayed that way to this day.

Watching the Fourth Of July Fireworks display in Boston is always special. After all, this is where the Revolutionary War started. Speaking of that war...I wonder what the Britt's do on this day in
Great Britain? Do they hide and sulk all day? Or do they suck it up and acknowledge the Americans? Because we did kick their asses. And we refused to pay their taxes. Just saying.
A year has passed since we lost both Ed O'Connell and John "JT" Taylor. Ed passed on July 1st, 2014, and JT passed on July 6th, 2014. Still it is hard to believe that a whole year has passed.
This July 1st we had some wild weather here on the coast.

Brian Nevins was out shooting the natural light show and he wrote to me saying he kept thinking that Ed was at the Wall shooting. Turns out, Brian didn't know that it was the 1 year anniversary of his passing. I was driving home with Cory after attending my aunt's wake when the clouds went dark and then the sky turned into a magical looking painting. We only had our I-phones. But we shot a bunch of cool photos with those things.

Nevins and Ed were always jockeying for the best Rainbow shot. Same with John Carden. We all knew it was a waist of time trying to get the best rainbow shot with Nevins around. Still it was always fun trying. Here's Ed and Brian during better times.

Ed put together this gallery for local surf photographers at the Provident Bank in Hampton. God we miss him.

Left to right: Ryan Denning, Ed, me, John Carden, and Ryan Scura.
Wish we could go back in time. Wishing we knew for sure if Ed had anything to do with that insane light show on July 1st.

Tomorrow is the one year anniversary of John "JT" Taylor's passing.
Another bitter pill to swallow. JT was such a icon at one certain break here in NH. He owned that place for a while back in the day. And he surfed it
right up to the time when he could no longer paddle. That's when the cancer finally took him on July 6th, 2014.

I look at some of the surfers who paddle out there these days, and I know that a good many of them, have no idea who JT was. But I suppose that is true in all walks of life.

We are all born. We grow up. We fall in love with surfing. We marry and settle down near the ocean. Then we all die. Nobody is getting out of this. It's what we all do before we get our tickets punched. Live your life like JT did. He surfed right up to the end.

And you better have a good sense of humor if you plan on living here year round. Of course there is always the option to travel. And the two pics above was one of those times. JT and I ventured down into the tropics in the late 70's. And we scored some amazing waves and made some lifelong friends. Jeff Chamberlain took the photo of JT charging into Little Apple Bay. The bottom pic is a frame grab from my super 8mm film I made.

I will post both Ed's paddle, and JT's tribute in the video
section."Surfing, Rainbows, and Remembering Old Friends,
Heals All Wounds"

"Ed's Corner" pic this week is a shot from June, 2013.
The surfer is Kai Nichols and if you look close enough you can
see that Kai is wearing a patriotic wetsuit. Perfect for the 4th
of July. Click on the photo to see a bigger image.
To see more of Ed's pics just hit the archives tab and scroll through the years and see some Ed's work. Be sure to pick up
the new SFOD movie The COLD COAST and check out the
extra feature of Ed O'Connell's gallery set to music.

Each week I will feature one of Ed's great pics from this blog. Photo by Ed O'Connell
*Click the photo above to see a larger version of Ed's Pic.

Now for Some Of My Weekly Global Observances
The most disgusting headline of the week was ISIS murdering 74 children. Women and children. Some because they did not fast.
I don't really care who becomes our next president, just as long as they have the balls to wipe those freaking idiots off the map.
F**** ISIS! Cowards. Be-headings, shooting people in the back of their head while their hands are tied behind their backs.
Cowards. Every last one of them..

Be careful this year when using backyard fireworks. They can cause serious injury. Here's a PSA from GITMO with KSM warning of the dangers of backyard fireworks.

I can see now how really dangerous it is. Thank you Khalid for this very thoughtful announcement. Bet that shit hurt huh?

So once again, please enjoy the weekly humiliation of the mastermind terrorist who killed 3,000 innocent civilians on September 11th, 2001. Khalid Sheik Mohammed (KSM), the mastermind behind 9-11 the captured Al Qeada ICON is getting his weekly slap in the face. You're welcome KSM fans.

Please keep my sister Evamarie in your thoughts and prayers
and continue to send positive thoughts to our dear friend Meghan Evans and family, same with surf photographer Andrew Rebeiro and my dear friend Greg Brooks. Also say a prayer for my good friend Robert Gerard. And please continue to pray for local Hampton surfers Terry Morrison and Rick Fiorentini and their families. And lastly, please pray for Dave O'Connor. A good man, a great mentor to so many kids, and a wonderful school principal.

Please add them all to your prayer list. Thank you.
Please
Support ALL The photographers who contribute to Ralph's Pic Of The Week everyweek for the last 9 years. **Think about BUYING a HIGH RES Photo
from any of the weeks on RPOTW.

CLICK ON THE GRAPHIC ABOVE TO SEE EVERY
SINGLE WEEK FROM THE LAST 11 YEARS!

Don't forget to go back and read the whole DAILY BLOG on
My CATCH A WAVE FOR MOLLY. (Click On the Banner below
on this page.) Started on July 26, 2010 ENDED July 26, 2011.
A Wave a day for 365 consecutive days.

Yesterday- Ed O'Connell Circa 1970. (Below) I love this photo of Ed. You can see all the surf photos behind him on the wall. They look like they are straight out of the magazines from that time. But the coolest thing for me, is seeing the same old Super 8mm editing set
up that I used. All you old film editors know how hard that was. And man did it eat up your time. And not for nothing Ed, but it appears that you are slightly glazed over here. I can hear Crosby, Stills, and Nash if I close my eyes.
Photo courtesy of Ed and Kathy.

Click on the photo above to see the larger version.

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Why? Well simply put, each and every one of them is a Surfer, who
lives the Surfing Lifestyle, and their business is a reflection of that lifestyle that we all love.

All PHOTOS BELOW SHOT THIS WEEK
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Today- The July Sessions. July 2nd, 2015.Photos by MAX

(Above) Mikey Evans turning his back on the crowds and tourists.
Thursday, July 2nd, 2015Photo by MAX
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery

(Above) The reason for the crowds. Clean fun little snappers.
Thursday, July 2nd, 2015Photo by MAX
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery

(Above)*For the record, we have bought all of our JEEPS from Lansdale JEEP the last 23 years, and have not had a single regret. They are
the BEST!!
*Click on the Ad above to see more!

(Above) Kai Nichols back handing this clean left.
Thursday, July 2nd, 2015Photo by MAX
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery

(Above) Jake Davidson getting a little air time. Sans board.
Thursday, July 2nd, 2015Photo by MAX
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery

Today- The July Sequences. July 2nd, 2015.Photos by MAX

(Above) Mikey Evans on the nose despite all the distractions. Check the sequence out here.
Thursday, July 2nd, 2015Photo by MAX
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery

(Above) Kevin Grondin sticking the longboard in places that is unfamiliar
with many longboarders today. Check the sequence out here.
Thursday, July 2nd, 2015Photo by MAX
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery

If you know a surfer who may be struggling with any kind of substance abuse. Click here. They can help. *Click above to save a surfer from substance abuse.

(Above) Kai Nichols on a lengthy sequence. Check the sequence out here.
Thursday, July 2nd, 2015Photo by MAX
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery

Today- The June 30th, Sessions. June 30, 2015Photos by MAX

(Above) Jake Davidson compressing at the Wall.
Tuesday, June 30th, 2015Photo by MAX*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery

(Above) "I see OJ he be slinking down in the bushes, he all jittery and scared."Jake being Jake. Tuesday, June 30th, 2015Photo by MAX*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery

(Above) A loving fixture on the seacoast. Father and son enjoying the
scenery of surfing.
Tuesday, June 30th, 2015Photo by MAX*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery

Today- The June 30th, Sequences. June 30, 2015Photos by MAX

(Above) A wild backside sequence of Mike Stanek. Check the sequence.
Tuesday, June 30th, 2015Photo by MAX*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery

(Above) Jared Veltsos in a tight sequence. Tuesday, June 30th, 2015
Photo by MAX*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery

The COLD COAST is available at CINNAMON RAINBOWS, PIONEERS BOARD SHOP, ZAPSTIX, and SUMMER SESSIONS. You can also buy one from SURF FREE OR DIE by sending a check or money order for $20. Go to surffreeordie.com for ordering details.
Portions of the eventual DVD proceeds will go to the
WOUNDED WARRIORS PROJECT.

Today- The June Bug Swell. June 29th, 2015Photos by RALPH(Above) The kind of wave that makes you forget things.
Wax, leash, meter, work, girlfriend, doctors appointments etc etc.Monday, June 29th, 2015Photo by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery

(Above) "This is how we do it..." Kevin Grondin laying down the floor plans
of the stylish cutback.
Monday, June 29th, 2015Photo by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery

(Above) Like father like son. The cutback does not fall to far from the beach. Kody Grondin following suit. Monday, June 29th, 2015Photo by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery